In the first of a series of profiles on Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner candidates in the lead up to the November 15 election, we speak to the Conservative candidate, Jas Parmar...
Jas Parmar sees his CV as his main selling point in the campaign to become the first Police And Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire.
The Kempston postmaster points to 25 years running his own business, his quarter of a century living in the county, and his time working as a police officer for the Met Police, as three of the main reasons why he believes that he is the best-qualified candidate for the job.
He said: “If I am elected I will make sure that I engage with the public, just as I have always done in my previous public life. I will listen to their concern and I will deal with them.
“This job requires someone with an understanding of budgets, and I have worked in business turning over £10million a year. And my work as a police officer will be useful in knowing how to fight crime and serve the public.”
Jas said that his work on the campaign trail had helped underline to him the differences in people’s policing priorities, particularly when it comes to the division between rural and urban areas.
He added: “This is for a three-and-a-half-year term, and I hope that at the end of that I will be able to look people in the eye and say ‘I delivered what you asked me to do.’
“My targets would be to keep cutting crime, and ensure that the victims of crime will always be the priority.
“My priority would also be to ensure that the public are satisfied with what the police aree doing, and that the police engaged with the public - something that hasn’t always been the case but which can go a long way.”
Jas ended by calling on people to vote for who they thought was the best candidate, not along party lines.
He said: “Whoever is elected will be here to serve everybody. Hopefully it will be someone with the experience to fill the role.”